Timber and Woodworkers Union (TWU) and the Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) have been engaging in social dialogue to promote better working conditions and social protections for timber workers.
- Category: Workshops
- Date 25-05-2023
In recent years, there has been a growing concern regarding
the social protection of timber workers. The timber industry is known for its
dangerous working conditions, long hours, and low wages. To address these
issues, the Timber and Woodworkers Union (TWU) and the Building and Wood
Workers' International (BWI) have been engaging in social dialogue to promote
better working conditions and social protections for timber workers.
The TWU is a union that represents more than 15 000 timber
and woodworkers in Ghana. It is committed to promoting the rights of timber
workers and improving their working conditions. The BWI, on the other hand, is
a global union federation that represents construction, building, and
woodworkers. It has more than 12 million members in 331 unions across 130
countries.
The social dialogue between the TWU and the BWI has been focused on improving social protection for timber workers. This includes developing comprehensive social protection programs that cover work-related injuries and illnesses, as well as providing support for retired workers and their families.
One of the key initiatives that have emerged from the social
dialogue is the establishment of a social protection fund for timber worker
called the Tier 3 pension scheme, representatives from the Social Security
Trust, Stallion Trust and the National Pension Regulatory Authority came up
with clinical explanations on various pension related issues so at the end of
the dialogue members were left with a proper understanding of ways they can be
assisted when they have pension issues
The social protection fund is financed through contributions
from timber companies and workers. The TWU and BWI have been working to ensure
that all timber companies contribute to the fund, and that the contributions
are based on the company's size and the number of employees they have.
In conclusion, the social dialogue between the TWU and BWI
has been instrumental in promoting better working conditions and social
protections for timber workers. The establishment of a social protection fund
and the promotion of safer working conditions are important steps towards
ensuring that timber workers are treated fairly and have access to the support
they need.